Left, Keller, Anuradha and Vikas Sinha, Brandon Buzbee, right/Image: University of North Texas
Indian-origin couple Anuradha and Vikas Sinha have donated $20 million to the University of North Texas to expand education and research in artificial intelligence and advanced analytics, according to the university’s press release.
The university will name its new Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics in recognition of the gift, creating an academic centre focused on developing and using AI and intelligent systems. The donation will fund six permanent endowments covering college leadership, scholarships, professorships, entrepreneurship and incubation, advanced research and emerging technologies. The new college will bring together programmes in areas including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, health informatics, information science, library science and learning technologies. It will also connect researchers and students across disciplines through shared infrastructure, research projects and industry partnerships. The college is expected to have two academic divisions. One will focus on developing and deploying intelligent systems, while the other will examine how information and intelligent systems operate in human and institutional settings. UNT will also establish an Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Institute to link AI and analytics research and education across the university, with a focus on interdisciplinary research, external funding and industry collaboration. The Sinhas moved to the US after completing bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering at Sri Venkateswara University. They later earned graduate degrees from Florida Atlantic University.